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The following statement may be attributed to Jeff Abramson, Director of the Control Arms Secretariat:

“The sentencing of an arms dealer, even one as notorious as Viktor Bout, does not undo suffering already caused or bring anyone back to life.

“What Bout’s sentencing does, however, is prove that it is possible to fight the irresponsible arms trade. It also shows that the world must have a better system for doing so. The fact that the United States needed to mount a complex sting operation proves the need for global regulations to limit the actions of dealers like Bout.

“Luckily, states are on target to negotiate an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) this July that would make stopping the next Viktor Bout much easier. A robust ATT will lead all countries to adopting arms brokering and arms trade laws, thereby closing the legal loopholes that continue to let the black market thrive. Until such a treaty is agreed and functioning, the global arms trade essentially remains out of control.”